When male kittens reach puberty, their behavior will begin to shift and one of the favorite pastimes of maturing male cats is marking their territory with urine. VCA Animal Hospitals reports that castration can put a stop to this behavior, but the longer a tomcat is allowed to act this way, the less likely the procedure will be effective in curbing the behavior.

Outdoor cats may need to be neutered to prevent them from getting into fights to protect their territories and establish dominance. Unless there are multiple male cats in a residence, indoor cats will likely not have this issue.

There are health advantages to having your tomcat neutered, as well. The ASPCA reports that removing the testicles can reduce the risk of injuries and disease transmission that could result in cat illness, since neutered cats will be less likely to fight other felines. This procedure also eliminates the chances of your cat developing testicular cancer.

Puberty typically sets in between six and 10 months, and VCA recommends having the surgery performed when a cat reaches five to seven months.

HOW TO REACH US

VCA Castle Shannon Animal Hospital

Phone: 412-885-2500

Fax: 412-885-8901

3610 Library Rd.

Pittsburgh,
PA15234

BUSINESS HOURS

Mon-Sun Open 24 hours

We are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays. Our vaccination clinic hours are Tuesday afternoons from 1pm until 4pm, Wednesday from 9am until 4pm and the last Sunday of every month from 9am until 12 noon.

Emergency

In case of emergency, call us immediately at 412-885-2500. We have doctors and technicians on the premises 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are available to help weekends and holidays when you need us most. We are fully equipped to provide your pet with emergency care including emergency stabilization, laboratory testing and x-rays, IV fluid therapy, pain control, infection treatments, wound care and fracture care, treatment for poisonings or seizures, and referrals to specialty facilities. Contact our hospital right away if you have an concerns or questions. Our address is 3610 Library Road, Pittsburgh PA 15234.

Specialty Care

As part of the VCA family, we have over 83 specialty hospitals across the US and Canada which provide referral specialty care, so there may be one near you. Enter ZIP to find VCA specialty care hospitals near you.